When times get tough, even Walmart's "everyday low prices" aren't all that alluring to shoppers -- except when it comes to food. We all have to eat, and Walmart's latest push could make it an even more dominant force in the grocery business.

Dollar stores are luring a lot more consumers these days, and their rock-bottom prices aren't the only reason: The chains have undergone major makeovers in recent years, sprucing up their dingy digs and adding better merchandise.

One of Wal-Mart's problems is the rise of dollar stores, which the Great Recession has rendered trendy: It's hard to resist merchandise priced at just a buck. For investors, not all rock-bottom retailers are created equal. Here's how to shop for these stocks (and stretch your investing dollars in the process).

Since the Great Recession began, Walmart has been facing heavy competition from dollar stores. In response, it recently opened the first of many Walmart Express stores. Trefis explores what effect these new smaller stores will have on the future value of the the world's largest retailer.

Men have endured slightly higher unemployment rates than women, and as a result, they've been taking on more of the household shopping. The trend hasn't boded well for stores: On average, men spend less than women on each trip.

Thrifty shoppers looking for low prices on basics are frequently passing up the big boxes of Walmart for the tighter aisles of their local dollar stores, which have replaced no-name products with nationally known brands and revamped their interiors to lure in a new crop of customers.